Valley
SC seeks govt file on Dhungel pardon
The Supreme Court has sought original file of the government’s decision to provide Balkrishna Dhungel, a murder convict, presidential pardon.The Supreme Court has sought original file of the government’s decision to provide Balkrishna Dhungel, a murder convict, presidential pardon.
A division bench of Justices Mira Khadka and Tanka Bahadur Moktan on Monday decided to seek the document for Tuesday’s hearing through the Office of the Attorney General.
The government has decided to recommend hundreds of prisoners for presidential pardon. Home Ministry sources confirmed that the Cabinet made the decision on Sunday. It would be revealed after President Bidya Devi Bhandari endorses the recommendation.
Senior Advocate Dinesh Tripathi filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Thursday demanding that Dhungel’s clemency process be halted.
After Justice Hari Krishna Karki refused to hear Dhungel’s case on Sunday citing his involvement in it earlier, the hearing was postponed for Monday.
On Friday the SC sought a written response from the government why erstwhile Maoist Centre leader Dhungel should get amnesty.
A single bench of Justice Dipkumar Karki also summoned government officials to give reasons in writing for the move within 15 days.
A former Maoist lawmaker, Dhungel is serving life sentence at Dillibazaar Prison for murdering Ujjan Kumar Shrestha of Okhaldhunga on June 24, 1998.
After the SC revived the case, Dhungel was on the run until his arrest from Lalitpur in October last year.
The Home Ministry claims that he has served 40 percent of his sentence and fulfils the criteria for presidential pardon.
Conflict victims have been protesting against the decision to pardon Dhungel for his crime.